


Together

by jaekayelle



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-27
Updated: 2013-06-27
Packaged: 2017-12-16 07:51:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/859701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaekayelle/pseuds/jaekayelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A quiet moment in the aftermath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. No profits made from this story. No assumptions are made about the lives of these real persons.
> 
> A/N: spoilers for first and second round matches at Wimbledon 2013. It gets a little sappy in places. Sorry about that. 
> 
> A/N2: I am working on the next story in the It's Complicated series. It's about 3000 words so far. If you like you can think of this one as part of that. Just to tide you over, if anyone is reading any of this stuff.

It was a pleasant day for a walk in the park. It hadn't started raining yet. That was something. They were due to leave London the next day and Roger just wanted one normal day with his loved ones before they headed home. He held Charlene's hand while Mirka held Myla's and told both of them to hang onto each other. 

He smiled at his family but soon his thoughts wandered. It wasn't quite 24 hours since his loss to Stakhovsky, so he was trying not to think about it, but he did wish he could go back out on a court and play a match. He loved tennis so much, and it was always an adjustment when he realized the next day that he didn't have any more matches to play at that particular tournament – even after winning a final. He just wanted to go back out there and play tennis.

“Rog.”

Mirka's gentle voice broke into his thoughts. He looked at her. She nodded in his direction. No, past him. 

He turned to see Rafa walking towards them. 

Rafa's smile was by turns his usual broad, happy smile, and somewhat tentative. He approached and reached past Roger for Mirka, giving her a quick hug and a kiss on both cheeks. She hugged back. Then he bent to speak to the girls, touching each of them lightly on the shoulder. 

Only then did he turn to greet Roger. He opened his arms and Roger went willingly and without hesitation into his embrace and wrapped Rafa in a tight hug, his chin resting on Rafa's shoulder. Rafa returned the hug the same way, just as secure. 

When they separated enough to step back and look at one another Mirka said, “You two sit and talk. The girls and I are going for popcorn over there.” There was a street vendor a short distance away. She smiled encouragingly at them and then lead the girls away.

Roger indicated a nearby bench and they walked over to sit on it. 

Cramming his hands in the pockets of his hoodie Roger leaned back and was silent. Rafa rested his elbows on his thighs. 

After a minute or so Rafa said, “We don't gonna let this defeat us.” He continued to stare into the distance. 

Roger could see that Rafa was looking at Mirka and the twins. He leaned forward, too, mimicking Rafa's position. He pressed closer so that their shoulders touched and felt the returning pressure and warmth when Rafa shifted against him. 

“No. It was just a couple of matches. We'll both do better.” 

“Si. We do better.” There was such conviction in Rafa's voice, matching what Roger felt in his heart. They weren't done yet. Rafa's knees were problematic and, yes, time was not on the side of either of them. It was an inevitability in the life of an athlete. Conditioning could stave off the relenting march, but someday they'd both have to face the conclusion of their careers. Roger thought he might try the seniors' tour, after all. Maybe. Maybe he and Tommy could play it out on the doubles tour. There were a few bugs in that system. They'd have to practice lots more than they had. Possibilities.

“'Scuse?” Rafa glanced at him.

“Did I say that out loud?” Roger chuckled. “Just thinking about the seniors' tour and maybe playing doubles with Tommy. Some day far off in the future. The first part of that, anyway. Might see if Tommy wants to try doubles again sooner.”

“You never want to play doubles with me.”

When Roger looked Rafa had a funny half-smile on his face. Roger couldn't tell if he really was hurt or not. 

“Tommy and I aren't in a relationship. We're just good friends. We can afford the risk.”

Rafa nodded, not putting up an argument. “Yeah, I no want us to fight either.”

Roger sat up enough to slide an arm around Rafa's shoulders, pulling him snug against his side. He leaned closer so that he could speak directly into Rafa's ear. 

“I love you.”

Rafa turned his head, bringing their faces together. They were nearly sharing breath. 

“I love you, also.”

They were in public, in plain sight of anyone looking their way, like Mirka smiling at them from a few feet away, and Roger stole a quick kiss anyway. Rafa grinned back at him. 

The draws would send more unseeded, upstart players in their direction, but champions didn't stay down forever. They both would come out the winners again, many more times. And maybe one of these days they would win again when they told the world they were in a committed relationship. 

Or maybe they would keep it private, just the two of them – and their families. Just as long as they were together. 

 

#end


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